From the ARCHIVE

FROM THE STRAD 1929 VOL 40 NO.475

For a concert artist there is apparently a fascination of some sort about a South African tour that creates a longing to return for another such visit. Miss Marie Hall fell so completely under this spell that already she has made three concert tours there. She left England at the beginning of last April and did not land back until the very end of July. Besides making the long double journey she managed to fit in nearly fifty concerts, together with many important social functions, being feted on all sides. In a chat with our representative since her return she said:— “I could not possibly have done all that has been done there if I had not frankly accepted the necessity of long hours, hard work, and rush, morning, noon and night. The social life of South Africa is one of its features. One has receptions and festivities to attend before and after concerts; but they are very charming for the artist, and I felt that I met heaps of just the people one likes to know.

“It is really a strenuous matter getting through all that has to be fitted into each day, because to complete the journeys in time for the functions and performances one has to travel by unconventional means— and of course, one must never, never be tired when meeting one’s audience no matter what circumstances may have intervened. I was almost, but not quite, belated for a mayoral reception given in my honour at Johannesburg, though I had done my very best even to performing the difficult task of transformation from walking to evening attire en route. It was designed that the guests should each be presented to me as they arrived—well the difficulty was, I was the last arrival! However, we had a most enjoyable time, with a much appreciated concert afterwards; and for still another ‘afterwards’ we had a most enjoyable supper party.

“I will have reason to always remember Durban, for the most terrific storm on record there came during my visit. The devastation was terrific, for the tempest was not merely rain deluge, it was huge lumps of ice falling in tons upon tons, each lump being about five inches across. The excitement seemed to keep one up whilst it lasted; but I confess the next day my head felt very queer from the nerve strain.”

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1677 ‘Berkitz’ Nicolò Amati A viola with connections to the Romanov dynasty and Venetian nobility + FREE POSTER FOR SUBSCRIBERS

Royal Danish Orchestra How the ensemble’s instrument fund informs its sound Musicians on camera The difficulties of training actors to mimic true performers Ouchard double bass bows Comparing the output from three generations of the mighty French bow making dynasty Manfred Honeck The Pittsburgh SO conductor’s former string playing career Rebecca Clarke Reviving a forgotten cello work PLUS In Focus An 1819 violin by the Scottish luthier David Stirrat Trade Secrets Yann Poulain on flattening planes Life Lessons UK cellist Laura van der Heijden